Federal Ministry of Works

Sep

2026

LATEST PRESS

UMAHI ORDERS IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ON BENIN-ASABA ROAD, AND SOME OTHER CRITICAL FEDERAL ROADS

The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, CON, has directed the immediate deployment of major contractors to all three sections of the Benin-Asaba Federal Road to restore the failed sections and bring an end to the suffering of motorists and other road users.

This is because, the situation on the concessioned Benin-Asaba Road has reached a point where the overall public interest must take precedence over the existing concession agreement.

Recall that the Honourable Minister of Works was on the Benin-Asaba Road about seven days ago, where he assembled a number of contractors and directed them to prepare for immediate palliative intervention on the affected sections of the road at no cost to the concessionaire. In line with the Concession agreement which requires that before the Federal Government could intervene, the permission of the concessionaire must be required, and that permission was not granted to federal government.

The Minister subsequently proposed three options to the concessionaire, any one of which would have enabled the Federal Government to move in and address the worsening condition of the road. Unfortunately, none of the options was accepted by the concessionaire. Immediately after the Minister left Asaba, the already limited equipment deployed to the road by the concessionaire was further reduced to just one, worsening the situation and increasing the suffering of motorists and other road users.

While the Minister takes responsibility for the concerns and suffering of Nigerians using the road, it is important to state that the concessionaire has also not taken the suffering of Edo people and travelling public sufficiently into consideration by declining all the options put forward by the Federal Government. The concessionaire continues to rely on the terms of the concession agreement entered into by the previous administration, an agreement which weighs heavily against the Federal Government’s ability to intervene quickly in the interest of the public in a situation like this.

In view of this situation, the Honourable Minister of Works has directed the immediate deployment of major contractors within the corridor to all three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore the failed sections and bring relief to the people, with the cost of the emergency intervention being borne by the Federal Government. The Honourable Minister has also directed immediate redesign of the entire route to be rebuilt with reinforced concrete pavement. The public should therefore take note that immediate action is underway to restore every failed section of the Benin-Asaba Road and subsequently rehabilitate the entire sections of the road using reinforced concrete pavement.

2. On the Benin-Sapele Road:
The Governors of Edo and Delta States, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Federal Government are currently engaged in interventions on different sections of the road to restore the entire route. While some sections are receiving palliative attention, permanent works are also ongoing on other sections.

3. On Ifaki(Ekiti) - Kabba (Kogi) Road:
The Federal Government is engaging both the contractor; Gamji Nigeria Company Limited, and Dangote PLC on immediate emergency and permanent intervention on the most failed sections of the road, while efforts are being made to financially mobilise the company for more extensive permanent work to commence on the axis.

4. On the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina Road: This is an inherited project involving the dualisation of approximately 350 kilometres, which translates to about 700 kilometers. The project has since been redesigned and is currently ongoing and most sections are being reconstructed using reinforced concrete pavement. From the Sokoto axis towards Zamfara, over 50 kilometres of one carriageway have been fully completed with reinforced concrete pavement. From Zamfara to Katsina, some sections have been completed and palliative works have been ordered over the sections that have not been reconstructed. However, the pace of work slowed down due to the redesign and rephasing of the project. The contractors currently engaged on the road include CBC, SETRACO, Triacta and Mothercat. They are being remobilised to return to site and complete the outstanding works.

5. On the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road: The Federal Government took over the Road project and has currently completed the 118-kilometer mostly on reinforced concrete pavement on lot 1. The Lot 2, which covers 164 kilometres, is over 60 percent completed on reinforced concrete pavement. The Federal Government has also introduced solar-powered light on the entire route of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria - Kano to improve visibility during night travel and enhance the overall security situation on the route. The entire project is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

6. On Bauchi-Jigawa Road: Triacta Nigeria Limited has been mobilised to carry out the necessary interventions on some failed sections and work is currently ongoing in those failed sections.

7. On the Sagamu-Ore Road: 48 Kilometers of the 96-kilometre road have already been completed using reinforced concrete pavement. There is also a 24-kilometre section around Ore which was abandoned by the previous contractor. The Federal Government has directed its immediate restoration to ensure seamless travel. Solar lights are being installed in the entire 96kilometer of the road.

8. On Flooded Sections on Sagamu-Ore-Benin Road: The flooded sections on the same corridor between Sagamu-Ore-Benin Road, as well as other flooded sections in Ondo State, are being designed for emergency procurement and intervention.

9. On the East-West Road:
Some failed and critical sections, including defective sections of bridges along the East-West Road, are being marked out for emergency procurement and intervention.

10. On the Abuja-Lokoja Road:
Several contracts are ongoing along the route, while the three critical sections currently without contracts are being procured for emergency intervention.

11. On the Lokoja-Benin-Warri Road: The President has directed a complete redesign and procurement of the 400-kilometre dualised route covering the uncompleted sections, using reinforced concrete pavement, while palliative works will continue with the contractors currently on the road.

12. On Carter Bridge:
While the Federal Government continues to undertake weekly maintenance of the underwater elements of the bridge. The site has also been handed over to the contractor, CCECC, for the construction of a permanent new bridge, and work has commenced.

13. On the Third Mainland Bridge:
With regard to the defective underwater structural elements, the Federal Government is at the final stage of determining the appropriate intervention for the repair of the affected elements.

14. On the flooded section of the Lagos-Ibadan Road: Work has commenced on the affected section. There are also several flooded sections on federal roads across the six geopolitical zones, largely occasioned by excessive flooding and the effects of climate change. The Federal Government is identifying and marking these sections for immediate attention.

15. On the First and Second Niger Bridges:
Intervention work is ongoing on the approach roads to the Second Niger Bridge damaged by flood and the work is progressing very well. The First Niger Bridge has been closed to traffic to enable immediate repair works. Contractor has mobilized to site and comprehensive rehabilitation of the bridge has started. From Summit Junction to the First Niger Bridge, massive rehabilitation work is also ongoing using reinforced concrete pavement.

16. The Honourable Minister wishes to commend the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the massive work being undertaken on the nation’s roads since the administration assumed office in 2023.

17. It is important to state that when the present administration came into office, there was hardly any part of the country where one could travel for an hour without encountering significant challenges on the road network. The condition of the country’s roads and bridges was a major national infrastructure challenge.

18. Rather than shy away from the problem, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the nation’s road network a priority. Virtually every part of the country became a priority, and the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, Regional Commissions, Parastatals and other MDA’s has continued to respond extensively to these challenges.

19. The Federal Government is currently working on over 80 percent of the inherited federal roads, an unprecedented level of intervention in the country’s road infrastructure.

20. We ask the public to understand the enormous challenges inherited on our roads and bridges and to take note not only of the problems being solved, but also of the permanent solutions being introduced.

21. A major part of this new approach is the use of reinforced concrete pavement, designed to significantly extend the lifespan of major roads. These roads are expected to last between 50 and 100 years. This means that roads being constructed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are being designed with future generations in mind, rather than simply providing temporary solutions to today’s problems. And this is a complete departure from the past, when roads often deteriorated only a few years after completion, resulting in a continuous cycle of reconstruction and expenditure.

22. We appreciate the concerns of Nigerians over the condition of some roads presently and the difficulties faced by motorists and commuters who cannot move easily from one point to another. Those concerns are legitimate, and the Federal Government is listening. But Nigerians should also recognise the enormous scale of the problems inherited and the amount of work currently being undertaken across the country.

23. It is simply impossible to resolve every road challenge accumulated over many years of neglect by the past administrations within three years. What is important is that the government is working, the government is responding, and the government is putting permanent solutions in place.

25. We appreciate members of the public who send situation reports on failed roads and other infrastructure challenges. These reports help the Ministry identify areas requiring urgent attention. However, we also appeal to members of the public to report when such problems have been addressed, just as they report when they occur.

24. We are aware of situations where photographs and reports of road challenges continue to circulate on social media even after the Federal Government has intervened and resolved the particular problem.
25. However, the Ministry will continue to respond as rapidly as possible to genuine reports and concerns from Nigerians.
26. It is also important to note that we have compiled a comprehensive record of all inherited, ongoing and intervention projects across the country which is available to the public. This is to ensure that Nigerians have access to information on the infrastructure projects being undertaken nationwide and can fully participate in and appreciate the infrastructure revolution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Nov

2018

Buhari-Led FG Has Delivered Visible Results, Addressing Economic Growth Through Infrastructure, Says Fashola * As Minister delivers Progress Report on activities of his Ministry in the last three years * Total of 2147 roads constructed/rehabilitated and 79,378 people employed between 2016 and November 2018 * Generation increased from 4,000 MW to 7000 MW, Transmission from 5000 MW to 7000 MW, Distribution from 2690 MW to 5,222 MW * National Housing Programme ongoing in 34 States that provided land, sites are an ecosystem of human enterprise that offers opportunities to the society’s most vulnerable * This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change. We cannot go back, he says The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, Monday reviewed the activities and achievements of his Ministry in the last three years saying the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration has delivered visible results and recorded qualitative progress with the outcome that there was no state in Nigeria today where the Federal Government was not executing one project or the other. Briefing newsmen on his Third Year Progress Report, Fashola, who recalled his first briefing on December 8, 2015 titled “Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change” in which he stated what he inherited, what he planned to do, and what Nigerians should expect, declared that with careful thinking, planning, and a dedicated team of public officers, the Ministry now has a firm foothold on its way to the top. The Minister told the various news platforms as well as members of the public at the crowded press conference, “Our policies have shown what is possible with critical sectors recording growth. What remains is time that it takes for the full harvest of the fruits of our policies in plenitude and prosperity of our people”. With regard to power, Fashola asserted that generation, which was at 4,000 MW in when he took over in the Ministry in 2015 has increased to 7,000 MW and transmission from 5,000 MW in 2015 to 7,000 MW while distribution has increased from 2,690 MW to 5,222 MW adding that although the work was clearly not finished, the Ministry was still in the process of delivering additional power to the grid. According to him, the additional 215MW would come from the Kaduna Power Plant while 240MW would come from Afam IV, 40 MW from Kashimbila, 30 MW from Gurara, 29 MW from Dadin Kowa and a total of 3,750 MW from two big Hydro power plants in Zungeru (700MW) and Mambilla (3,050MW) while power is also programmed for nine universities and 15 markets across the country. Also expected are transmission expansion from 90 transmission projects nationwide to boost the capacities of the Distribution Companies to distribute power across the country, the Minister said adding that some of the transmission substations recently completed included Apo, Mayo Belwa, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Odogunyan and Ejigbo substations. According to him, while distribution is being boosted through over 100 injection sub-stations, a distribution expansion programme to be funded by the Federal Government was now in an advanced state of procurement adding that although there are still people yet to be reached and challenges due to disruptions from time to time and people who also needed meters “it is indisputable that we have delivered on incremental power”. “The evidence of our progress is not only captured in the last quarter of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Report for Q2 of 2018 which shows a growth of 7.5 per cent in the electricity sector”, the Minister said adding that previous quarterly reports from 2017 had consistently recorded growth, which, he noted “is a clear departure from 2014-2015 and proof of change”. Recalling that he promised in his inaugural address that it would not just be electricity by numbers but electricity that would be borne out by personal experiences, Fashola disclosed that the report of survey carried out by government and feedback mechanism put in place by it had confirmed that many Nigerians now have public power for longer hours compared to 2015 and run generators for shorter periods compared to 2015 while they now spend less money on diesel to power their generators. “As some Citizens recently reported, they no longer have to iron all their clothes one week in advance as they previously used to do, because the supply is proving reliable and predictable even if not yet fully Stable and uninterrupted. This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change. We cannot go back”, the Minister declared. He said as the policies on Mini Grids, Meter Asset Provider, Eligible Customer, and liquidity sustenance and improved governance deepen, the experience with power supply could only get better adding, however, that the success of the plans now would depend on “energy users who must conserve energy when not needed”. Relating to roads and bridges, Fashola, who also said progress report has confirmed the promise he made at inauguration had been fulfilled, declared, “We have recovered the thousands of jobs that were lost to public works. This recovery is the result of an expansive infrastructure spending that saw works budget grow from N18.132b in 2015 to N394b in 2018”. “The outcome is that there is not one state in Nigeria today where the Federal Government is not executing at least one road project and construction workers are engaged on these sites”, he said adding that even difficult or abandoned projects like the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Bodo-Bonny Bridge have been brought back to life. He noted that sections of Ilorin-Jebba, Sokoto to Jega, Sokoto-Ilela have been completed, “while progress of works continues nationwide from Jada to Mayo Belwa, Enugu to Port Harcourt, Lagos to Otta, Ikorodu to Shagamu, Benin to Okene, Lokoja to Abuja, Kano to Maiduguri, Abuja – Kaduna, Kano to mention a few”. Fashola said apart from recovered construction jobs and growth in construction sector of the economy, the feedback from road users has shown that the journey times were reducing on the completed roads recalling a text message he received last week from a commuter reporting that he travelled from Warri to Lagos in Five and Half hours. Noting that the foregoing represents a promise kept, Fashola, who recalled that the journey from Warri to Lagos used to take a whole day with people sometimes sleeping on the Road before President Buhari was elected, declared, “We cannot go back to that era. We are determined to move forward”. He added, “Although the work was not finished, but as long as we remain able to finance the projects, I have no doubt that it will get better”. And supporting the assertions of the Minister, the Director Highways Planning and Development, Engineer Chukwunwike Uzo, said a total of 1262 roads were constructed and 885 roads were rehabilitated between 2016 and November 2018 while 79,378 persons were employed. A breakdown of the figure showed that while 277 roads were constructed and 345 rehabilitated with 17,749 people employed in 2016, in 2017, 468 roads were constructed and 256 rehabilitated with 31,227 people employed in the process, while 497 roads were constructed and 284 rehabilitated while 30,402 people got employed According to the Director, who made a contribution during the Question and Answer session, a total of N907, 628.118, 217 was budgeted for Works between 2016 and 2018 while a total of N499, 609,297,524 were disbursed to contractors during the period. Pointing out that the intervention on roads did not stop on interstate highways, the Minister said his Ministry has also entered 14 Federal Universities where unattended internal roads were now receiving attention listing the institutions to include, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Federal University Oye, Ekiti, University of Benin, Federal University, Lafia, Federal University, Otuoke Bayelsa and Bayero University, Kano. Others, according to him, are Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Maiduguri, Federal University, Lokoja, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Federal University, Gashua, Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal College of Education Katsina and University College Ibadan. According to him, “This is the First Phase under the 2017 Budget and we are preparing to do more under the 2018 Budget. Noting that the intervention and nine Independent Power projects in Federal Universities was an investment in Education for the benefit of those who seek more funding for education, Fashola said while roads were being built, government was also attending to old or damaged bridges and restoring the value of maintenance. While the Loko - Oweto Bridge was nearing completion, the damaged Tatabu Bridge linking Ilorin and Jebba had been reconstructed and the Tamburawa Bridge in Kano, the Isaac Boro Bridge in Rivers, Eko Bridge in Lagos and the Old Niger Bridge that links Anambra and Delta were receiving regular maintenance attention. In Housing, the Minister said public buildings like the Federal Secretariats in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Nasarawa and Ekiti and the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha had now been practically completed pointing out that the pilot National Housing Programme has led to a nationwide Housing Construction being undertaken in the 34 states where government had received land. “No less than 1,000 people are employed on each site apart from the staff of the successful contractors”, he said. “These sites are an ecosystem of human enterprise, where artisans, vendors, suppliers and craftsmen converge to partake of opportunities and contribute to nation building. These are some of the most vulnerable people for whom President Buhari has delivered”, Fashola said adding parastatals like the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) were also contributing while policies like the reduction of equity contribution from 5% to 0% for those seeking mortgage loans of up to N5million, and reduction from 15% to 10% for those seeking loans over N5million were helping to ease access to housing. According to the Minister, the Ministry is also tackling the backlog of issuance of consent and Certificates of Occupancy to Federal Government land” adding that a total of 1,216 Application for Consent to transfer interests in Land application and 1,300 Certificates of Occupancy have been approved and signed respectively as at 25th October 2018. Fashola, who noted that as the year heads to an end, festivity, end of year activity and consequent movement of goods and services would put pressure on the roads nationwide, added, “Our Ember month planning committee, working with FRSC and FERMA have been meeting to prepare themselves to make your movement during this period as conducive as the circumstances will permit”. According the Minister, “FRSC will deploy their personnel across the major transport corridors of the country during this period of heavy movement to help manage traffic. They have committed to setting up nine camps and 18 help areas across the zones to provide support and help to commuters in need”. The Ministry’s staff, he also said, had identified 53 critical roads requiring intervention while construction is going on in order to move traffic and would be working with the contractors to provide relief gangs while the Ministry as also deploying the Zonal Directors to their zones of responsibility until the period of peak traffic subsides. Wishing Nigerians a Happy Christmas in advance with a promise of pleasant travel time during the festivities, Fashola declared, “With careful thinking, planning, and a dedicated team of public officers, we have a firm foothold on our way to the top. Our policies have shown what is possible with critical sectors recording growth. What remains is time that it takes for the full harvest of the fruits of our policies in plenitude and prosperity of our people.We cannot go back to the bottom of the mountain when the plateau is now within reach”. ...

Nov

2018

Our Three Years Score Card on Infrastructure Development: A Fulfillment of the "Change Mandate" The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has presented the Ministry’s scorecard and achievements on infrastructure development and provision across the country in commemoration of his three years in office. He added that the ‘’present government has no doubt move the nation forward by consolidating on the mandate of change promised Nigerians. 2. Addressing the media and the general public at a press conference held in Abuja, today, he noted that there is the need to refresh on his inaugural statements titled, ‘’Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change,’’ when President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the present Federal Executive Council and the subsequent creation of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. 3. The Minister noted that with regards to power supply, ‘’I promised that we will improve on gas supply, increase transmission capacity, pay MDAs' debts to the DisCos and generally improve your experience with power supply, first by getting incremental power, then proceed to stable and hopefully reach uninterrupted supply.’’ 4. Fashola also reported that with regards to works, ‘’as at May, 2015, many contractors have stopped work due to lack of payment and many fathers and wives employed by them laid off as a result. The possibility to return those who have lost their jobs back to work is the kind of change that we expect to see’’. 5. Retrospectively speaking on the Housing sector, the Minister stated that, ‘’it presents an enormous opportunity for positively impacting the economy to promote not only growth but inclusion’’. He further stated that ‘’Government will lead the aggressive intervention to increase supply starting with a pilot’’. 6. Fashola, however, noted that where the nation is standing today, despite little resources to work with, is a clear evidence of qualitative progress in the delivery of infrastructure across Nigeria, adding that this is a remarkable departure from past Administrations. 7. Further in his address, the Minister disclosed that power generation has increased from 4,000 MW to 7,000 MW, transmission from 5,000 MW to 7,000 MW and distribution from 2,690 MW to 5, 222 MW. He noted that the consistence progress recorded in the power sector from 2015 till date is a clear departure from what obtained before, also a proof of change. 8. In relation to public works, the Minister stated that the dogged determination of the present Administration to deliver on critical infrastructure has brought about expansive spending on Federal road projects across the nation. He stressed that this development saw the budget of the works sector growing from N18.132b in 2015 to N394B in 2018. 9. The outcome of these massive spending and investment on infrastructure has not left any state in Nigeria today without a Federal Government visible road project(s) with thousand of construction workers, who were formerly laid-off now being fully engaged. 10. Fashola stated that the Ministry’s intervention on roads does not stop on interstate highways alone. It has also affected 14 Federal Universities, where failed internal roads are now receiving proper attention. 11. According to the Minister, the present government also took a giant stride by creating a Presidential Infrastructural Development Fund to address critical economic projects across the country. Projects such as the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Mambilla hydro - power project and many more are expected to benefit from the Fund. 12. Speaking on the housing sector, the Minister stated that the pilot National Housing Programme, second in the history of the nation, has led to a nationwide housing construction currently at various stages of completion in 34 States where landed properties were provided. 13. He added that construction works at these project sites are an ecosystem of human enterprise, where artisans, vendors, suppliers and craftsmen are direct beneficiaries, as well as contributing to nation building. 14. The Minister opined that the Ministry is also tackling the backlog of issuance of Consent and Certificates of Occupancy on Federal Government lands. He stated that ‘’a total of 1, 216 applications for Consent to Transfer Interest in Land and 1, 300 Certificates of Occupancy were approved and signed’’. 15. Fashola noted that without the team of dedicated staff, the landslide achievements and growth in these sectors would have been a mirage. In attendance were, the Permanent Secretaries of Works and Housing, Mohammed Bukar and that of Power, Engr. Louis Edozien, Directors from the three sectors, Heads/CEOs of Parastatals. ...

Oct

2018

Nigerian-Sweden Collaborate To Improve Electricity Supply In Nigeria The Minister of State I for Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has applauded the Swedish Government for their expression of interest to collaborate with the Federal Government of Nigeria in the provision of infrastructure needed to move the economy forward and make life meaningful for Nigerians. Baba Shehuri made the commendation when he receivedthe representatives of Her Excellency, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. IngerUltvedt, Charge d’ affaires of the Swedish Embassy, Mrs. Ida Hockerfeldtand Head of Economic Affairs, Mrs.Fanny Nylanderwho paid him a courtesy call. The Minister revealed that with the privatization of the generation and distribution aspects of electric power supply, it makes economic sense for any foreign country to invest in Nigeria, a country that already has the population and enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment to thrive. He stated, “We have the population and a lot of potentials in the areas of renewable energy which some investors like the Chinese have already keyed into by providing mini grids to generate andsupply electric power to some communities”. The Head of Economic Affairs of the Swedish Embassy in Nigeria, Mrs. Fanny Nylander had earlier explained that the meeting is a follow-up to the Swedish Minister for Trade, Mrs Ann Linda’s, visit to theHonourable Minister for Power, Works and Housing, BabatundeRajiFashola, SAN in 2016 and thesigning of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria under the Nordic Umbrella on Energy. Mrs. Nylander further invited the Minister to be the “Country Host” to the ‘Swedish – Nigerian Sustainable Energy Conference’ holding in Lagos on November 13, 2018, adding that the event is to create an avenue for Swedish companies to explore ways of supporting Africa, particularly Nigeria, in power generation, transmission and distribution. ...